Folding carton



Aug. 13, 1935. R PARKS r AL 2,011,232

FOLDING CARTON Filed May 22, 1935 Patented Aug. 13, 1935 PATENT OFFICE" ronnnvc CARTON Robert D. Parks and. Glenn Hildenbrand, Lohrville, Iowa, assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, of tour-fifths to John P. Kavanaugh and James C. Kavanaugh, both of Waterbury, Nehru, and one-fifth to Harry S. Snyder, Sioux City, Iowa Application May 22, 1933, Serial No. 672,236

9 Claims. (Cl. 229-39) The object of this invention is to provide an improved construction for a folding carton or box.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved folding carton having sidewalls hingedly connected to each other and having a bottom wall formed in two sections adapted to be folded between the side walls and so arranged that when pressure is applied to the two opposite sides of the folded carton the side walls will be expanded and the sections of the bottom Wall will be moved to a horizontal plane where they will interlock and hold the device in extended position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved folding carton which is especially characterized by the facility with which it may be moved from collapsed to extended position without the necessity for handling any of the flaps or parts which constitute its walls, the device being capable of being moved to open position merely by the application of force to two opposite edges of the folded carton whereupon the parts will move automatically into extended position and a locking interengagement of certain parts will occur for holding the device extended.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure 1 is a representation of the blank from which the carton is formed. A

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the complete carton in extended or open position.

Figure 3 .is a front elevation of the carton in folded position.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the carton in an intermediate condition between collapsed and open position and indicating the manner in which pressure may be applied for moving the parts to open and interlocking position.

Figure 5 is a bottom view of the extended carton illustrating particularly the interlocking engagement of the bottom sections.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-45 of Figure 5 showing particularly how the bottom sections interlock as they approach extended position in which they rest in a substantially horizontal plane.

Figure 7 is a transverse section through the extended carton showing the interlocked sections of the bottom wall from the upper side or inside of the carton.

The blank from which the carton is formed may be produced from cardboard or the like of any suitable size and weight and is cut to the formation shown in Figure 1. It is also scored on various lines to define the several walls or flaps ofthe carton, this scoring facilitating the bending of the blank to produce the finished de- 10 vice.

The main portion of the blank is of rectangular shape and is provided with a-plurallty of transverse score lines designated by the numerals l0, I2, l4, and I5, thus outlining the main portions of the carton. These main portions are wall 24, which is at the opposite side of theblank.

In completing the carton the flap 25 is bent on the line I0 and is caused to contact the inner face of the wall 24 and secured thereto by means of paste, glue or the like. Thus a rectangular enclosure is formed which is capable of being opened to the position shown in Figure 2, which may also be collapsed in substantially flat condition as shown in Figure 3. In this position the front wall 20 and one lateral wall 22 are in one plane which is substantially parallel and in contact with the rear wall I8 and other lateral wall 24 which are likewise in the same plane, the two sets of walls being connected by hinged connections provided by the bending of the carton on the scored lines I2 and I 6. j

The blank is extended at one side to form a cover fiap 28 separated from the rear wall l8 by a score line 30 and having on its outer edge an insert flap 32 defined by a score line 34.- On the upper edges of the lateral walls 22 and 24 are coacting cover flaps Stand 38 defined respectively by the score lines 40 and 42 and adapted to coact with thamain cover flap 28 for closing the top of the extended carton if desired.

At the lower edge of the blank there are certain elements which coact to form the bottom wall of the carton. These elements include similar bottom wall members 44 and 46 formed respectively on the lower parts of the bottom wall 8 and front wall 20 and defined respectively by the score lines 48 and 56. There are also other bottom elements on the lower edges of the lateral walls 22 and 24 and designated by the numerals 52 and 54, these elements being defined by score lines 56 and 58 separating them from the lateral walls.

The elements 52 and 54 are of trapezoidal shape, having'their outer edges parallel with the respective score lines which define and connect to the lateral walls of the carton and having one straight lateral edge and one inclined lateral edge. Extending from the base of the straight lateral edge to the angle between the outer edge and the inclined edge is a score line designated on each of the elements 52 and 54 by the numeral 66.

The elements and 46 constitute the main parts of the bottom wall, which bottom wall is.

formed in two sections, one made up of the elements 44 and 52 and the other made up of the elements 46 and 54.

Each of the main elements 44 and 46 is formed at one end with a relatively short straight edge 62 extending outwardly from the main part of the blank at right angles to the score lines 48 and 56. The elements 44 and 46 also include relatively long inclined edges 64 and 66, the former extending outwardly from the outer end of the straight wall 62 and the latter extending directly from the base of the main part of the blank; or in other wordsfrom a point which defines one corner of the completed carton. The edges 64 and 66 are inclined toward each other and between their adjacent ends there is formed a substantially V-shaped notch 68 and a project ing lug 16, the notch and lug being separated by a short straight edge 12 which is substantially at right angles to the score lines 48 and 56, although spaced materially therefrom.

In assembling the carton the elements 52 and 54 are secured respectively to the elements 44 and 46, causing them to overlap to a certain extent,and pasting or gluing those parts of the major flaps adjacent the lines 66 to those parts of the minor flaps which lie between their score lines 66 and the outer right-angled corner of said elements.

In this manner there are produced two similar bottom wall sections, each of which has a short straight edge 62 and. two inclined edges which are substantially parallel to each other and arranged diagonally of the bottom of the enclosure. One of these edges is composed of the inclined edge 64 of the blank and the other is composed of the inclined edge of one of the minor bottom elements 52 or 54, together with the inclined edge of the notch 68. The elements 52 and 54 are creased upwardly or inwardly of the carton on the score lines 66 so that each of the triangular bottom sections may be folded within the folded carton and between the two side walls of the carton to which ton substantially midway between its collapsed the blank of Figure 1. This pressure on opposite edges of the folded carton is suflicient to rnove it to fully extended position, without the manipulation or handling of any of the flaps or wall elements, this pressure even effecting the interlocking of the two bottom sections for the purpose of holding the carton in the .extended position of Figures 2, 5, and 7.

This carton is not designed to receive particularly heavy loads but is suitable for receiving and holding contents of relatively light weight, such for instance as popped corn and in fact it has been designed particularly for use in an automatic popping and vending machine, although it is of course not limited to such particular use. However, the construction and the manner of extending and causing interlocking engagement of the parts makes this carton particularly useful in connection with an automatic machine where no manipulation of the parts is necessary or possible.

We have not deemed it necessary or desirable to show any of the mechanism of the machine for which we have designed the present carton,

-but in order to make it clear how the device is susceptible of use in an automatic machine we will merely state that a quantity of the folded cartons may be placed in an upright position, one in fornt of another, in a compartment of the machine. When the machine is operated the foremost carton of the group is moved laterally until it engages a stop member, after which the mechanism continues the pressure on one edge of the carton, forcing it to open or extended position. Of course, it will be understood that the same end may be accomplished by manual pressure on the two edges 12 and I6 of the folded carton. In Figure 4 we have illustrated how this pressure is efi'ective in opening the carton, the lines of pressure being indicated by two arrows applied to the opposite comers I 2 and I6.

It is obvious that as pressure is exerted as above indicated the side walls I8, 26, 22, and 24 will move into position at right angles to each other to form a rectangular enclosure. As the side walls assume these positions, the two bottom sections will move toward a horizontal plane, assuming that the device is in upright position, this movement of the bottom sections occurring because of the hinged connection of each section to the bottom edges of two of the side walls and being permitted by the hinged connection on the line or crease 66 between the two parts of the folded bottom section.

As the carton approaches its ultimate position, the diagonal edges of two bottom sections approach each other and finally the lugs 16 thereof engage each other andas pressure is continued they slide past one another so that their straight edges 12 effect an interlocking arrangement, or in other words-the notch 68 of one section engages in the notch 66 of the other section'as indicated in Figure 6. If desired, the tips of the lugs I6 may be cut off somewhat on straight lines 14 to facilitate the sliding of one lug past the other to effect the above noted interengagement. It will be noted that when the bottom sections are engaged and interlocked, certain portions of the two sections are in overlapping condition. The straight edges 62 occupy positions adjacent the inner surfaces of the lateral walls 22 and 24 and the portions between such straight edges and the edges 12 of the lugs are overlapped with portions of the other botshown infFigure 2.

tom section, a condition which is quite clearly The carton is now fully entended and in open condition as illustrated-in Figure 2 and ready for the deposit of its contents therein and delivery to, the-customer who may then manually close heavy and in fact the. pressure of the contents tends to hold the bottom sections in their proper horizontal positions. v

.Particular attention is directed to the fact that during the expanding movement of the side walls of the carton there is a positive force which acts to move the bottom sections to proper position for closing the lowerend of the carton,

- and that is accomplished through the connection of the bottom elements "-52 and 46'54. In

other wordsbecause of the connection of each bottom section to two adjacent side walls, these bottom sections arecaused to move toward horizontal planes as the side walls assume their expanded positions, this movement culminating in an interlocking engagement of the bottom sections. a

When desired, the .carton may be collapsed by upward pressure on the bottom members,- causing the bottom sections tobecome disengaged and to move inwardly between the side walls.

We claim as our invention: v

1. A folding carton comprising a plurality of side walls hingedly connected at their edges to form a polygonal enclosure, and 'a'bottom wall formed in two similarly shaped sections, each section being hingedly connected at two edges to the bottom edges of two adjacent side walls and being creased for folding on a line extending substantially forty -flve degrees from the corner between the two side walls to which said section is connected, whereby said section may be folded between said two sidewalls when the carton fis collapsed, substantially one-half of the free margin of each bottom section being formed with a projecting lug having its end adjacent the center of said margin formed of acute angles, said end of said lug of each bottom section being adapted to engage and interlock for holding the carton in extended position and said sections being subcally similar sections, each section being composed of two elements hingedly connected to the lower edges of two adjacent side walls, the two elements of each section being permanently connected and being creased on a line permitting folding thereof to correspond to the folding of the associated side walls, thebottom sections being provided with interengaging locking means, comprising on each section a lug projecting from substantially one-half of its free margin, said lugs being staggered with relation to each other when said bottom wall is closed, the;connection of said bottom elements to each other and to the side walls affording a positive means for moving the bottom sections toward position for closing said bottom wall and for engaging said locking means. 3. A folding carton comprising a plurality of side walls hingedly connected, at their edges to form a polygonal enclosure, and a bottom wall formed 11'' two sections of substantially triangular form, eachsection being hingedly con- ;nected at two edges to the bottom edges of two adjacent, side-walls and being creased transversely on aline intersecting the. two edges aforementioned to permit folding of saidbottom section upwardly-between theside wallsto which-it is hingedly connected,- the, =freemargin of each bottom section being formed on two substantially parallel oblique lines extending inwardly from points near diagonally opposite comers of the enclosure and connected near the center thereof by a substantially straight line to produce a notch and a lug, pressure on opposite corners of the folded carton causing the side .walls'to open out and the bottom sections to gradually assume horizontal positions, this movement culminating in looking engagement of theirstraight margins for holding the carton in open position, with the bottom sections in partially overlapping relation.

4. A folding carton comprising a plurality of side walls hingedly connected at their edges to forma polygonal enclosure, and a bottom wall formed in two similar sections of substantially triangular form, each section being hingedly connected at two edges to the-bottom edges of two adjacent side walls and being creased transversely on a line intersecting the two edges aforementioned to permit folding of. said bottom section upwardly between the side walls to which it is hingedly connected, the free margin of each bottom section being formed on a broken diagonal line, said line commencing at a point near one corner of the enclosure, extending diagonally to the center, thence transversely a short distance toward one side wall to produce a notch and a lug having one straight wall, and thence proceeding on a line substantially parallel with the first mentioned diagonal line to a point adjacent the diagonally opposite comer of the enclosure, andthence on a straight line to the last mentioned corner, whereby when opened, the bottom sections will overlap as to. those portions between their two straight lines, and the straight walls of the notches and lugs will interlock to hold the cartonin open position. I

5. A folding carton comprising a plurality of side walls hingedly connected at their edges to form a polygonal enclosure, and a bottom wall formed in a plurality of sections, each section being hingedly connected at two edges to the bottom edges of two adjacent side walls and being V gage for'holding the carton in'extended position, the interlocking means of each tree margin comprising a lug extending along one-half of said margin and adapted to overlap the unlugged half of the margin of thenext section, the bottom sections being automatically moved into position for engagement of the interlocking means when the side walls are extended to the normal open position.

6. A folding carton comprising a plurality of side walls hingedly connected at their margins to form a polygonal enclosure, and bottom sections hingedly connected to the lower margins of an engagement of the .two ends of the two lugs which then slide past each other to cause an interother interlockingly when the side walls are exsome of the side walls, the bottom sections being formed with interlocking means comprising lugs, the interlocking ends of which are formed at acute angles to the free margins of the bottom sections and being automatically movable into position for said interlocking means to slide over and snap past each other and then engage each tended to normal open position, and acting thereupon tohold the side walls of the carton in extended position.

7. In combination, a collapsible carton having a plurality of walls hingedly connected at their margins, and interlocking sections adapted 'to. close one end of the space bounded by said walls when extended, said carton being initially folded into substantially fiat condition with said walls and sections occupying substantially parallel planes, and a pair of relatively movable members, adapted to engage opposed side margins of the folded carton, said members being adaptedfor relative movement toward each other for exerting pressure to cause the walls of the carton to assume expanded position, said members having lugs to interengage for holding .the carton in such expanded position, each lug extending along the free margin ofits member and having one end formed by angles acute to said free margin, whereby said lugs snap past each other and are then in position to prevent refolding of the carton by mere upward pressure on the bottom of the carton, the edge between said angles being substantially parallel to one of the walls against which the member engages when the carton is folded. Y

'8. A folding carton comprising a plurality of side walls hingedly connected at their .edges to nected at two edges to the bottom edges of two adiacent side walls and being creased transversely on a line intersecting the two edges aforementioned to permit folding of said bottom section upwardly between the side walls to which it is hingedly connected, the free margin of each bot tom section being formed on a broken diagonal line, said line commencing at a point near one corner of the enclosure, extending diagonally to the center, thence transversely a short distance toward one side wall to produce anotoh and a lug having one straight wall, and thence proceeding. on a line substantially parallel with the first mentioned diagonal line to a point adjacent the diagonally opposite comer of the enclosure, and thence on a straight line tothe last mentioned corner, whereby when opened, the bottom sec walls, each pair having a bottom flap comprising a substantially right angular triangle with the'addition of 9. lug along substantially one half of its diagonal edge, the end of the lug adjacent the center of the diagonal 'edge having acute angles with respect to said diagonal edge for snap over and relatively non-returnable engagement with the lug of the opposite bottom flap and being substantially parallel with one of the right ,angle edges of the triangle, said flap being creased by folding from the corner between the right angle edges for. the triangle and at an angle of substantially forty-five degrees to said edges.

, ROBERT D. -PARKS.

GLENN HILDENBRAND. 

